AOPA President Boyer conducts 234th Pilot Town Meeting, more than 6,500 pilots attended in 2000AOPA President Boyer conducts 234th Pilot Town Meeting, more than 6,500 pilots attended in 2000

October 3, 2008

AOPA President Boyer conducts 234th Pilot Town Meeting, more than 6,500 pilots attended in 2000

AOPA President Phil Boyer hosted the 234th Pilot Town Meeting on November 30 in Phoenix, Arizona. This year alone, more than 6,500 pilots attended one of 27 meetings in cities coast to coast.

Since Boyer first started going "out on the road" eight years ago to talk directly to the nation's aviators, more than 45,500 have participated in these sessions.

Pilot Town Meetings offer pilots and aircraft owners a lively forum for discussion of important general aviation issues with AOPA's president. Hi-tech computer graphics and video clips keep the meetings entertaining.

"Pilot Town Meetings are a learning vehicle for me and AOPA," said Boyer. "We started this program to become more familiar with the concerns of pilots and owners through a direct, personal exchange of views. I credit this continual feedback, in addition to continual member research, with helping guide AOPA in constantly improving service to members."

Using new, interactive technology, about 50 randomly selected pilots at each meeting participate in a real-time electronic poll on a variety of issues. The audience sees the results of the polling immediately, projected on the large presentation screen.

In 2001, AOPA Pilot Town Meetings are planned for 30 cities. The schedule for upcoming Pilot Town Meetings is available online. Pilot Town Meetings are also announced in ePilot, AOPA's weekly e-mail newsletter free to members, and in AOPA Pilot magazine.

AOPA Pilot Town Meetings are open to all pilots, and admission is free. Pilots in each local area will receive an invitation to attend by mail.

The 365,000-member Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association is the world's largest civil aviation organization. More than one half of the nation's pilots are AOPA members.